Deuteronomy 31:6  Be strong and of good courage, fear not nor be afraid of them:  for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee, nor forsake thee.  (KJV)

Ahhh, there it is!  The reason I can “fear not:”  the LORD thy God, my God.  It is personal!  One God for one person, one nation, one universe.  The LORD goes with me!  My God does not walk away, abandon, divorce, backstab, forget, break promises, check-out, retreat, give up, or fail.  He stays until the enemy is conquered.  He gives strength, courage, companionship.  I can stand BECAUSE He stands beside me.  My courage will not waiver BECAUSE He accompanies me through the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23).

Courage is defined as the ability to do something that frightens one.  Strength in the face of pain or grief.  What frightens you?  Write it down.  Look it in the face.  Acknowledge it.  Call it out. This past year I have had to do this on more than one occasion.  

It takes courage to jump into deep water, to set out to swim the frigid English Channel or compete in a race you know you cannot win. Courage is required to live this life we know is filled with grief and pain and loss and disappointment and unknowns.

“Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.”   

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”   

― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead  

Memorize this verse.  “BE STRONG and of good courage, fear not nor be afraid of them:  for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee, nor forsake thee.“  It is kevlar (a bullet proof vest) over your tender, quaking heart.  It is God’s dare to us to trust Him.  

Read this verse over and over and each time emphasize a different word.  Let it seep deep into your fearful heart and pump courage into your day.  Then, repeat tomorrow and the next day and the next until you are showing up and your audience witnesses how the LORD has transformed you into a woman “daring greatly.”

Thank you for treadin’ with me today!  I am blessed to have you as my treadin’ companions.

(video of Erwin Gys)

You are gonna need some tissues!!!  I AM SERIOUS!  This is what our God does for us!

Yvonne